help with some questions about electrical things

[Nicky S]

hey orgs

iv just started my final 2 years at college to become a sparky. my tutor has asked me to research some bits and bobs.

he has asked me to find out

1. What is a electrical system?
2. what dose a electrical system Contain?
3. is there any type of presentation?

now im all a bit confused about this, i kind of get it but not really. iv spent the last couple of hours on the internet and all i can find is junk or info about earthing & bonding systems.

earthing & bonding is fine but its not what my tutor wants to see he wants me to look at it as a hole?

am i right in think that an electrical system is something like this.

power station - step up transformer - power lines - step down transformer - house - fuse board - circuits - light from light bulb ???

or have i got the wrong end of the stick.

if any one could help me with the very basics i would be very greatfull.

cheers nick

[Red Herring]

Hi Nicky, is that the final two years of a two year course? Not being funny but I would have thought "what is an electrical system" is the sort of thing covered in the first week of learning to be an electrician.......

I'm no sparky but in my mind an electrical system is a source of power driving something that consumes that power, and whatever goes between to make that happen. A battery, two wires, and a light bulb would cover that. How simple an answer is he after?

[Nicky S]

Hi Nicky, is that the final two years of a two year course? Not being funny but I would have thought "what is an electrical system" is the sort of thing covered in the first week of learning to be an electrician.......

I'm no sparky but in my mind an electrical system is a source of power driving something that consumes that power, and whatever goes between to make that happen. A battery, two wires, and a light bulb would cover that. How simple an answer is he after?

im about to start my last two years.

it will be most of my course. he just wants me to research it and have something to show him next week. after he has seen what we have found and understand he is then going to go over it with us.

but i just dont really understand it the way he said it to me sounded more like a process then a system.

i think he wants me to have a bit more then a battery two wires and a bulb lol

[Nicky S]

this is what my REG book says

An electrical system consisting of a single source or multiple sources running in parallel of electrical energy and an installation.

[TamSV]

I'd have thought the same as RH : power source - means of transmission - something to use the power. Maybe a switch to make it all nice and safe?

So you could give the battery/light bulb example and expand that to whatever you like - a domestic house or the national grid.

I'm not an electrician either - just a blagger. :p

[DarrenSV650S]

Your tutor sounds like a blender btw :smt045
Sounds like he just wants you to do some research yourself and get you thinking about it. Probably wont even read your answers. When I got questions like this without any great detail of what they actually wanted, I'd just answer them as simply as they were asked :p

Probably wrong but....

1. What is a electrical system?
2. what dose a electrical system Contain?
3. is there any type of presentation?

1. A way to store, transmit or utilise electrical energy
2. Conductors, insulators, protective devices, switching devices, transformers and output devices.
3. say whaaaaaaaaaaat? :confused:

[Nicky S]

Your tutor sounds like a blender btw :smt045
Sounds like he just wants you to do some research yourself and get you thinking about it. Probably wont even read your answers. When I got questions like this without any great detail of what they actually wanted, I'd just answer them as simply as they were asked :p

Probably wrong but....



1. A way to store, transmit or utilise electrical energy
2. Conductors, insulators, protective devices, switching devices, transformers and output devices.
3. say whaaaaaaaaaaat? :confused:

+1 i think that might be it lol iv just found a load of my old college books and they have bits and bobs in them and iv got a bit more of an idea now thanks for the help guys :)

[Stuuk1]

I'm unfortunate enough to be a sparky, but it's been a while since I left college...

I would have thought it would be based from the origin on the installation I.e from the transformer, the system being a 240v supply with a tn** earthing system.

I know it sounds sad but there are some good forums out there about electrical stuff, some very clever people on them! Best thing to do is sign up and ask a couple of questions there...


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[Stuuk1]

By the way, I got to that decision about the transformer stage by the fact you said 'electrical system' and not 'earthing system' or 'wiring system'..


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[Bri w]

In an operating theatre you'll quite often find a light source, camera, an insuflator, a monitor and some sort of recording device. Each will have an independent supply, probably mains, and usually all on a rack/trolley. The camera will be connected to the monitor and recorder, and that's the start of the earth leakage, patient leakage and earth bonding problems - bear in mind the camera will probably stuck in someone's gut, along with the light source and insuflator and you get an idea of why leakage currents and bonding are so important.

Once each device is connected they stop being individual units and become a system.

[Stuuk1]

Thats more of an earthing system isnt it....?

[Bri w]

In an operating theatre you'll quite often find a light source, camera, an insuflator, a monitor and some sort of recording device. Each will have an independent supply, probably mains, and usually all on a rack/trolley. The camera will be connected to the monitor and recorder, and that's the start of the earth leakage, patient leakage and earth bonding problems - bear in mind the camera will probably stuck in someone's gut, along with the light source and insuflator and you get an idea of why leakage currents and bonding are so important.

Once each device is connected they stop being individual units and become a system.

Thats more of an earthing system isnt it....?

Its that long since I did real work, instead of paperclip counting, I wouldn't know. I just remember the reams of regs associated with medical systems...

[Stuuk1]

Never done hospital work so wouldnt know that sort of tech. I a telephone exchange *****...

[Ruffy]

he has asked me to find out

1. What is a electrical system?
2. what dose a electrical system Contain?
3. is there any type of presentation?

Blimey that's a bit vague isn't it!

am i right in think that an electrical system is something like this.

power station - step up transformer - power lines - step down transformer - house - fuse board - circuits - light from light bulb ???

or have i got the wrong end of the stick.

Sounds reasonable as a general starting point.

At its simplest I would say, source->connections->load. You've begun to break it down a bit. You could go further and separate transmission and distribution and all the varying voltage levels in the system, and then describe individual final circuits in a typical industrial/commercial/domestic installation.

That lot would describe the physical networks. There's also quite a bit on the commercial side of supply of electricity (billing etc.) and the control and operation of the system (voltage, frequency, balancing generation to demand etc.) but that would be getting in pretty deep.

For once a wikipedia page looks like a reasonable source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_power_system

Or he might just want you to start with the supply and installation downstream from the main cutout (i.e. start at the meter/consumer unit), since that's where most sparks are involved? Really difficult to know from what you've written - perhaps you should discuss with him where you're up to and ask for guidance?

[Stuuk1]

Nicky S, just realised you are from Tunbridge Wells.... Who is your tutor? Im guessing you go to Mid Kent? If its Brucy Bonus then he is a great guy! Ask him anything..

[Bri w]

Never done hospital work so wouldnt know that sort of tech. I a telephone exchange *****...

Watch out for tag rash on the mdf blocks... that's if you still find them in exchanges... 20yrs since I moved on.

Sorry for the derail

[Stenno]

Our electrical rules at work define a System as...

System
A electrical system in which all the equipment is, or may be, connected to a common source
of electrical energy, including the source and its associated equipment;

[Stuuk1]

Watch out for tag rash on the mdf blocks... that's if you still find them in exchanges... 20yrs since I moved on.

Sorry for the derail

Not sure of tag rash... I install the 50v dc power stuff. Exchanges have changed a hell of a lot in just the last 5 years. I'm now travelling the country surveying virgin media exchanges and they are a complete mess...!


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[Nicky S]

Nicky S, just realised you are from Tunbridge Wells.... Who is your tutor? Im guessing you go to Mid Kent? If its Brucy Bonus then he is a great guy! Ask him anything..

Nay im at west kent college (K college) in tunbridge wells